Eastern Coachwhip Snake

[tlcmurphy]

Even the larger ones can squeeze through surprisingly small spaces. I had this 3ft rat snake get into my coop yesterday. Usually they just go after the eggs for an easy meal, but I did have a similar sized snake kill a 10 week old Wyandotte chick last year.

View attachment 4112955

I’d be moving out

 

[Flchickn99]

I’d be moving out

We just got the smallest possible hardware cloth will work on adding it probably everywhere

 

[StinkyAcres]

We just got the smallest possible hardware cloth will work on adding it probably everywhere

Yeah, I wouldn't put chicks in your coop until you've covered the existing mesh with a smaller hardware cloth. You'll want at least 1/2" hardware cloth to keep snakes out. 1/4" hardware cloth is a thinner gauge, so not recommended for keeping stronger animals out, but may work if it's installed behind a stronger mesh.

 

[Flchickn99]

Yeah, I wouldn't put chicks in your coop until you've covered the existing mesh with a smaller hardware cloth. You'll want at least 1/2" hardware cloth to keep snakes out. 1/4" hardware cloth is a thinner gauge, so not recommended for keeping stronger animals out, but may work if it's installed behind

 

[Flchickn99]

How large is the snake? I would only be really concerned with bantams or very young chicks. 7 week old chicks would be fine against a snake, especially a non-constrictor like the coachwhip, but you can relocate the snake for your own peace of mind if you would like. Just don't kill it, it's an important native species. Usually the only problem people have with snakes and chickens is egg eating: however, snakes usually serve as pest control around the coop so they can be helpful too.

Update: snake decide to move out and chickens has been in the coop for 5 days now. They are loving it! We added some hardware cloth and secured any possible hole.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Well I just made a decision to get rid of my chickens. This evening I stuck my hand in one of the nests, to collect eggs. The coop was dark.
A Black Rat snake was in it and I got a nasty bite.
I was stupid to not look where I was putting my hand. Collecting eggs night after night, I got careless.
I'm not scared of snakes, but I do know when they're backed into a situation they get aggressive. Though they're not venomous, you can still get an infection from any bite.
I'm getting too old to mess with them anyway.

 

[Bird2break]

We are about to move our 7 weeks old chicks to their outside coop that we build. We just noticed that there is a snake under our porch, Eastern Coachwhip. The coop is predator proofed I think but I am still so worried. Apparently those snakes can eat 7weeks old chicken. What should we do? Should we wait until they are bigger or try and relocate the snake? We have. Buff Orpingtons and Jersey Giants. Thank you!!!

It may sound cruel, but I’ve had great success with putting a golf ball in each of my nest boxes and invariably the snake eats it. The snake can’t pass the ball and goes off somewhere to die. We eliminated 8 snakes from our coop in the past 3-1/2 months! Also, you can buy a snake catcher. But the golf ball trick works swimmingly well! Today we found a Diamondback Rattlesnake!

 

[Bird2break]

Well I just made a decision to get rid of my chickens. This evening I stuck my hand in one of the nests, to collect eggs. The coop was dark.
A Black Rat snake was in it and I got a nasty bite.
I was stupid to not look where I was putting my hand. Collecting eggs night after night, I got careless.
I'm not scared of snakes, but I do know when they're backed into a situation they get aggressive. Though they're not venomous, you can still get an infection from any bite.
I'm getting too old to mess with them anyway.

It may sound cruel, but I’ve had great success with putting a golf ball in each of my nest boxes and invariably the snake eats it. The snake can’t pass the ball and goes off somewhere to die. We eliminated 8 snakes from our coop in the past 3-1/2 months! Today we found a Diamondback Rattlesnake in there. But he had eaten a golf ball and retrieved behind a wall, where it will die!

 

[Flchickn99]

Thank you! We moved them and added some hardware cloth and so far so good!

 

[Bird2break]

We are about to move our 7 weeks old chicks to their outside coop that we build. We just noticed that there is a snake under our porch, Eastern Coachwhip. The coop is predator proofed I think but I am still so worried. Apparently those snakes can eat 7weeks old chicken. What should we do? Should we wait until they are bigger or try and relocate the snake? We have. Buff Orpingtons and Jersey Giants. Thank you!!!

I’ve had a chicken snake get in my 7-week old chicks cage and killed one of mine by “trying “ to eat it and then the snake regurgitated it back up bc the chick was too big.

I put golf balls in my nest boxes. The snakes invariably eat the balls and then go off somewhere to die bc they can’t pass it.